Petra, Jordan

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Glimpse of the Treasury through the colorful rock formations of the Siq, Petra. Photo Didier Baertschiger.

Petra is a spectacular Nabatean city in western Jordan. With massive façades that have been carved entirely out of the existing red sandstone, Petra's magnificent temples and tombs are like no other religious buildings in the world, and the surrounding rugged landscape dotted with historical sites are a hiker's paradise.

Petra has been a city of great religious significance since ancient times. First, it has a number of connections with the Old Testament: the nearby Ain Mousa (Spring of Moses) is believed to be where Moses struck a rock with his staff to extract water; and Aaron is said to have died in the Petra area and been buried atop Jabal Haroun (Mount Aaron).

Later, the Nabateans built a city packed with tombs, temples, sanctuaries and altars to their gods. Finally, in its last years, Petra was the home of at least one Byzantine church. This section explores the many wonders of Petra in articles and pictures, from its dramatic history to its fascinating sights that awe modern visitors - up to 3,000 of whom visit Petra each day.